Dentists, like other healthcare professionals, are primarily concerned with providing a much needed service to their patients. Still, there are plenty of dentists out there for patients to choose from, and you need to keep them coming through your door. When all is said and done, you are running a business.
So what’s the best way to attract new clientele to your dental practice? We’ve all seen billboards and print ads featuring glittering, shiny, toothy smiles, but is that really an effective method in the age of digital marketing? Let’s take a look at a few reasons why you should consider utilizing inbound marketing strategies.
1. Patients need you, and Inbound Marketing Pulls Them In
In this day and age, old school “in your face” advertising is becoming less and less effective. No one wants to be bombarded with advertising and phone solicitations, for almost any product or service, and that applies even more to the healthcare field. In fact, quite to the contrary, people are turning to the internet for healthcare information. A study by Pew Research Center showed that 35% of American adults have gone online to research a health care condition before contacting a medical professional. We can only expect that trend to increase. A well-planned inbound marketing strategy can catch those searchers, and help bring them into your office.
2. Content Marketing Educates Patients And Reinforces Your Identity
Though most people don’t look forward to a visit to the dentist with the same enthusiasm they have for, say, a new restaurant, they do need your services, and want to know what they’re getting into. So, providing clear and compelling articles about dental health not only educates the public, it brings them to your website, and furthers your credibility and trust as an authority in your field.
3. Inbound Marketing Strategies Are More Cost-Effective
While we can’t tell you that you won’t have to pay to attract new patients, it’s clear that inbound marketing methods are significantly less expensive than traditional marketing. Here are a few facts:
- Inbound marketing strategies yield an average of three times as many leads as traditional methods.
- Leads generated by web searches have a close rate which is 8 times higher than those that come from outbound marketing.
- And, the overall cost of an inbound marketing plan is, on average, 62% cheaper than traditional advertising.
4. Inbound Marketing Works For Small Businesses, And You’re One of Those
If you’ve heard of inbound marketing strategies, but think that they’re only of value to large businesses, nothing could be further from the truth. As we keep saying, people are turning more and more to the internet before they make decisions, and Google tends to favor local businesses in their search rankings. Inbound marketing has proven to be extremely effective for small businesses, and, after all, that’s what you are. A well-designed inbound plan will increase your visibility in your community, establish you as an authority in your field, and get new patients into your practice.
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